PT-

PT-2/HALF YEARLY EXAMINATION, 2022-

2022-23
ENGLISH CORE
Time - 7:15 AM to 10:20 AM Class - XII M.M. : 80
Date – 08.09.2022 (Thursday)
Name of the student _________________________________________________ Section _____
General Instructions:
• This paper is divided into three sections.
• All questions are compulsory.
• Separate instructions are given with each
section and question, wherever necessary. Read
these sections very carefully and follow them.
• Do not exceed the prescribed word limit while
answering the questions

SECTION – A
Reading Skills (20 Marks)
I. Read the passage given below.
1. Many of us believe that ‘small’ means ‘insignificant’. We believe that small actions and
choices do not have much impact on our lives. We think that it is only the big things, the big
actions and the big decisions that really count. But when you look at the lives of all great
people, you will see that they built their character through small decisions, small choices and
small actions that they performed every day. They transformed their lives through step-by-
step or day-by-day approach. They nurtured and nourished their good habits and chipped
away their bad habits, one by one. It was their small day-to-day decisions that added up to
make tremendous difference in the long run. Indeed, in matters of personal growth and
character building, there is no such thing as an overnight success.
2. Growth always occurs through a sequential series of stages. There is an organic process to
growth. When we look at children growing up, we can see this process at work: the child first
learns to crawl, then to stand and walk and then finally to run. The same is true in the natural
world. The soil must first be tilled and then the seed must be sown. Next, it must be nurtured
with enough water and sunlight and only then will it grow into trees laden with ripe fruits.
3. Gandhi understood this organic process and used this universal law of nature to his benefit.
Gandhi grew in small ways, in his day-to-day affairs. He did not wake up one day and find
himself to be the ‘Mahatma’. In fact, there was nothing much in his early life that showed
signs of greatness. But from his mid-twenties onwards, he deliberately and consistently
attempted to change himself, reform himself and grow in some small way every day. Day by
day, hour by hour, he risked failure, experimented and learnt from mistakes. In small as well
as large situations, he took up the responsibility rather than avoiding it.
4. People have always marvelled at the effortless way in which Gandhi could accomplish the
most difficult tasks. He displayed a great deal of self-mastery and discipline which was
amazing. These things did not come easily to him. Years of practice and disciplined training
went into making his success possible. Very few saw his struggles, fears, doubts and

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 anxieties, or his inner efforts to overcome them. They only saw the victory, but not the
struggle.
5. This is a common factor in the lives of all great people: they exercise their freedoms and
choices in small ways that make great impact on their lives and their environment. Each of
their small decisions and actions, add up to have a profound impact in the long run. By
understanding this principle, we can move forward, with confidence, in the direction of our
dreams.
Often when our ‘ideal goal’ looks too far from us, we become easily discouraged,
disheartened and pessimistic. However, when we choose to grow in small ways, by taking
small steps one at a time, our achievement becomes easy.
Q1. Based on your understanding of the above passage, answer ANY TEN of the questions
given below with the help of the options that follow. (1x10=10)
(i) The main idea in the first paragraph is that:
(a) big things, big actions and big decisions make a person great.
(b) small actions and decisions are important in one’s life.
(c) overnight success is possible for all of us.
(d) personal changes are not important.
(ii) What does the writer mean by saying ‘chipped away at their bad habits’?
(a) Steadily gave up bad habits. (b) Slowly produced bad habits.
(c) Gradually criticized bad habits. (d) Did not like bad habits.
(iii) Which of the following statements is true in the context of the third paragraph?
(a) Gandhi became great overnight.
(b) Gandhi showed signs of greatness in childhood itself.
(c) Every day Gandhi made efforts to change himself in some small way.
(d) Gandhi never made mistakes.
(iv) What is done by great people to transform their lives?
(a) They approach life on a day-to-day basis.
(b) They build character in small ways.
(c) They believe in performing every day.
(d) All of these.
(v) How can we grow in small ways?
(a) By getting disheartened. (b) By dreaming little.
(c) By taking small steps one at a time. (d) None of these.
(vi) How did Gandhiji become ‘Mahatma’?
(a) By risking failure. (b) By learning from mistakes.
(c) By taking up responsibilities. (d) All of the above.

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 (vii) How do small actions and choices impact our lives?
(viii) What according to the author is the ‘universal law of nature’?
(ix) How did Gandhi accomplish the most difficult tasks effortlessly?
(x) Which things about Gandhiji’s life were not seen by most of the people?
(xi) Pick out words from the passage which are similar in meaning to the following:
(I) intentionally/ purposely (Para 3)
(II) of deep significance; far-reaching (Para 5)
II. Read the passage given below.
The average age of India will be just 27 in 2020, which means that the majority of the
country will comprise young students and youth. But even now with the clock ticking, the
unemployment crisis is raging the country the main reason behind this problem is that
there are a huge number of youths passing out from schools and colleges every year, and
there are many new career options and job roles being added to various industries as well.
However, the youth do not have the kind of skills the new industries want which results in a
wide skill gap. And a recent survey by Mindler, an online career-counselling platform, has
proved that the majority of Indian students are aware of just seven career paths, even
though there are 250 career options that can be pursued in India -- most new and in-
demand.
The survey on the awareness of career options among Indian students in the age group of
14 to 20 was conducted among 10,000 participants. The responses collected in the survey
showed that a staggering 93% of the students who participated in the survey were aware of
just seven career options -- law, engineering, medicine, accounts and finance, design,
computer applications and IT, and management.

According to researchers, India has a variety of 250 career options available across 40
domains covering 5,000 job types. This shocking lack of awareness among Indian students
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 regarding their future career options can spell and death knell for the economic bonus that
could have come to India due to its demographic dividend the time period where its
population is young and earning.
Thus, if parents and teachers can build their own awareness regarding new career options
coming up, then they can be a very helpful part in their child's career decisions rather than
being one of those parents who push their child into one of the most common careers
simply because they are unable to understand which area would be the perfect fit for their
child. If parents utilise the available technology and tools available, they can become more
aware of which careers will help their children grow the most, and career counselling can
help both parties get the desired satisfaction.
Q.2. Based on your understanding of the above passage, answer ANY TEN of the questions
given below with the help of the options that follow. (1x10=10)
(i) What is the main essence of the passage?
1. There is a huge gap between education and employment opportunities.
2. There is a lack of awareness regarding new professions available.
3. Parents must be involved in the process of career selection.
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2 (c) Both 3 and 4 (d) Only 4
(ii) According to the survey which field was most popular among students?
(a) Law (b) Accountancy (c) Medicine (d) Engineering
(iii) According to the passage, the lack of awareness regarding various career options
results in
(a) unemployment (b) frustration and depression
(c) economic stagnation without any bonus (d) lack of economic bonus
(iv) What according to the survey, should parents not do?
(a) Help their children in choosing their career
(b) Force them to take a career option from the popular seven
(c) Get their children into career counselling
(d) Both (b) and (c)
(v) Which of the following is not a popular career option according to the given extract?
(a) Management (b) Designing (c) Journalism (d) Computers
(vi) The given passage focusses on :
(a) The need of awareness among parents (b) The need of career counselling
(c) The need of students with professional skills (d) All of the above
(vii) How can parents become more aware?
(a) By using available tools and technology
(b) By talking to their children
(c) By providing career counselling to their children
(d) By finding which career options are the best fit for their children
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 (viii) What is the basic observation done by Mindler?
(ix) Why is awareness considered a necessity in the given passage?
(x) What is the average age of India?
(xi) Why is there a wide gap between youth and employment opportunities?

SECTION - B
Creative Writing Skill (20 marks)
Q.3. (i) Every year in the central park of the city a flower show is held in the month of February.
Your school has received a circular from the District Collector inviting your students to
visit it. Write a notice in about 50 words informing the students about the show and
advising them to go and enjoy it. You are Navtej / Navita (Head Boy/Head Girl) Delhi
Public School, Surat. (5)
OR
On behalf of the honorary Director of an Old Age Home - “Tulsi", Write a notice of
appeal to be published in the newspaper asking for donation of Man-Hours from general
public. (50 words) You are Navtej / Navita.
(ii) You have been asked by your Director to invite a team of students and teachers from SD
Public School, Modi Nagar for a workshop on changes in CBSE syllabus being conducted
by a reputed publisher of educational books. Write the invitation as the Secretary,
English Literary Society in 50 words. (5)
OR
You are Pankaj Gupta and have received an invitation card from Shri A.K. Sinha,
Principal of St Xavier’s School, Dehradun to attend the school’s annual function. Draft a
formal reply of acceptance in 50 words.
(iii) Recently you went to your native village to visit your grandparents. You saw that some
of the children in the age group 5-14 (the age at which they should have been at school)
remained at home, were working in the fields or simply loitering in the streets. Write a
letter in 120-150 words to the Editor of a national daily raising your voice against such
exploitation. Suggest ways to solve this problem. You are Suraj/Sumitra, M-112 Taj
Road, Agra. (5)
OR
You are moved by the miserable condition of the street children who make a living by
collecting saleable material from rubbish dumps and live in unhealthy surroundings.
Write a letter to the Editor of a national daily requesting him to highlight their plight
and urge the society and authorities to provide them with opportunities for growth and
development. You are Suraj/Sumitra of 10, Raj Nagar, Odisha. (120-150 words)
(iv) You are Ritesh/Ritika Gupta, a student of class XII of St Xavier’s School, New Delhi. You
feel that in spite of starting the metro train service on so many routes, the condition of

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 traffic on the roads is still bad. You find it disturbing that the number of vehicles on
roads is increasing steadily. You want people to contribute for tackling this problem.
Write an article on the topic, ‘Traffic Woes-Solutions’. (120-150 words) (5)
Clues-
• Very heavy taxes on purchase of new vehicles
• Encourage people to use public transport
• Use car pooling
OR
You are Mohit Gaba, Staff Reporter for “The New Indian Express”. You were asked to
cover the major new highlight of two cargo ships that collided in the Arabian Sea near
Mumbai that resulted in an oil spill. Write a report on the accident and oil spill that was
published in your newspaper. You can use the following clues. (120-150 words)
Clues -
• Oil spill caused by collision
• No person injured Oil spilling Rapidly
• Affecting aquatic life
• Pollution
• Action to stop further spill
• Prevent further such collisions
SECTION - C
Literature Textbooks (40 marks)
Q.4 A) Read the extracts given below and answer the following questions. (1x6=6)
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and o’er darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.
(i) In which of the following options can the underlined words be replaced with
‘despondence’?
a) The man paced about the room showing restlessness.
b) A chat with a close friend can take away our blues.
c) I was in jitters, seeing the boy trapped in the trench,
d) Being dogged is what led him to negotiate the challenges.

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 (ii) Pick the option that is NOT an example of ‘unhealthy and o’er darkened ways.’
a) A person who is egoistic and looks down upon others.
b) A person who seeks God’s help for all his problems.
c) A person who uses evil ways to deceive others.
d) A person who is corrupt and manipulative.
iii) Pick the option that enumerates what ‘noble natures’ would include.
1. selflessness 2. insensitivity 3. enthusiasm 4. aggression
5. meticulousness 6. judiciousness
a) 1, 4 and 5 b) 2, 3 and 6 c) 2, 4 and 5 d) 1, 3 and 6
iv) The poet says that we wreath a flowery band that binds us to earth.
He means to state that nature’s beauty fills man with ________________
v) What makes our life full of inhuman dearth?
vi) What does the expression ‘o’er-darkened ways’ imply?
OR
“Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now I’ll count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go”.
i) What does the earth teach us?
a) stillness equal to death
b) There is life under apparent stillness
c) We can still be alive and kicking though maintaining stillness for few moments
d) Both (b) and (c)
ii) What is the significance of ‘Keeping Quiet’?
a) very peaceful atmosphere b) no involvement in harmful activities
c)establishing peaceful existence d)all of the above
iii) The poet uses conversational style and personal pronouns or ‘you’, ‘we’ and ‘I’ because
a) He wants to establish contacts easily
b) Third person talking is ineffective
c) tries to reach out to the reader
d) He wants us to be friendly with whole mankind
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 iv) Which poetic device has been used in the second line?
v) Where will the poet go?
vi) What message does the poet give in the extract?
B) Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow. (1x4=4)
They did not try to hide what they said from the ears of Hana as she stood arranging the
day's flowers in the veranda nearby, and she knew they spoke on purpose that she might
hear. That they were right she knew too in most of her being.
i) 'They' refers to :
a) Sadao's parents b) Sadao's servants c) Sadao's children d) Sadao's patients
ii) 'On purpose' in the extract means :
a) casually b) intermittently c) accidentally d) intentionally
iii) What were they right about?
iv) Why were they not trying to hide anything from Hana?
OR
“With Students on Ice”, he offers the future generation of policymakers a life-changing
experience at an age when they’re ready to absorb, learn, and most importantly, act. The
reason the programme has been so successful is because it’s impossible to go anywhere
near the South Pole and not be affected by it.
i) ‘He’ here refers to
a) The Editor of Shokalskiy b) His companion on his journey to Antarctica
c) A Canadian man, Geoff Green d) The leader of students of Ice
ii) The “future generation of policy makers” refers to :
a) high school students b) teenagers
c) college students d) environmentalists
iii) What is the life changing experience referred to here?
iv) Why has the programme become so successful?
C) Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow. (1x6=6)
“Since you have been so nice to me all day long, as if I was a captain, I want to be nice to you,
in return, as if I was a real captain — for I do not want you to be embarrassed at this
Christmas season by a thief; but you can give back the money to the old man on the
roadside, who has the money pouch hanging on the window frame as a bait for poor
wanderers. The rattrap is a Christmas present from a rat who would have been caught in
this world’s rattrap if he had not been raised to captain, because in that way he got power to
clear himself. “Written with friendship and high regard, Captain von Stahle.”

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 i) Which of the following CANNOT be attributed to the peddler, according to the above
extract?
a) indebtedness b) reform c) self-pity d) self-awareness
ii) Why did the peddler gift a rattrap as a Christmas present?
a) It was all the peddler had that he could give away, and represented his turn to
honesty.
b) It symbolized his successful escape from entrapment as he returned the stolen
money.
c) It served as a reminder for Edla to be wary of the dangerous temptations of the
world.
d) It was a practical and convenient present that the lady of the house could effectively
use.
iii) The word ‘frame’ has been used to indicate a rigid structure that surrounds something
such as a picture, door, or window pane. There are other meanings of ‘frame’ too.
Choose the option that DOES NOT list the meaning of ‘frame’.
(1) a person’s body with reference to its size or build.
(2) a single complete picture in the series forming a cinema, television, or video film.
(3) the triangular structure for positioning the red balls in a snooker.
(4) a thin solid object that seals a container or hole; a lid
a) Option (1) b) Option (2) c) Option (3) d) Option (4)
iv) Why did the peddler sign himself as Captain Von Stahle?
v) What is the significance of the letter written to Edla?
vi) Do you think the peddler would have changed if Edla had not been nice to him?
OR
The experience had a deep meaning for me, as only those who have known stark terror and
conquered it can appreciate. In death there is peace. There is terror only in the fear of death,
as Roosevelt knew when he said, “All we have to fear is fear itself.” Because I had
experienced both the sensation of dying and the terror that fear of it can produce, the will to
live somehow grew in intensity.
i) Choose the option that best explains the expression 'deep meaning in the extract.
a) The experience left a deep scar in the narrator's life.
b) The narrator drowned at the deep end of the pool
c) The narrator learnt a life lesson through that experience.
d) The experience was still painful in the memory of the narrator
ii) Choose the correct option which refers to only those' as intended by the narrator.
a) Those who have the experience of drowning
b) Those who have learnt swimming in YMCA pool
c) Those who have experienced bullying
d) These who have experienced and conquered fear
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 iii) Of the four meanings of sensation select the option that matches in meaning with its
usage in the extract.
a) Physical response to a stimulus
b) Something extraordinary or surprising
c) Feeling of excitement
d) Strong feeling of enthusiasm
iv) What was the impact of the experience on the narrator's life?
v) What was Roosevelt's opinion on fear ?
vi) How had the narrator experienced ‘the sensation of dying and the terror that fear it can
produce’?
Q.5 Answer ANY FIVE of the following questions in 30-40 words. (2x5=10)
i) Write about the poet’s fear as a child. Why does it surface when she is going to the
airport?
ii) “We have all a great deal to reproach ourselves with”, said M. Hamel. Comment.
iii) What is the ‘endless fountain’ and what is its effect?
iv) Describe the irony in Saheb’s name?
v) In the story ‘The Rattrap’ who was a keen observer, the ironmaster or his daughter
Edla? Substantiate your answer with an example.
vi) After initial reluctance why did the lawyers tell Gandhiji that they were ready to follow
him into jail?
Q.6 Answer ANY TWO of the following questions in 40-50 words. (2x2=4)
i) Describe Galesburg of 1894.
ii) The manner of his (The Tiger King’s) death is a matter of extraordinary interest.
Comment.
ii) Explain the reaction of Dr. Sadao’s servants when he decided to give shelter to an enemy
in the house.
Q.7 Answer ANY ONE of the following questions in 120-150 words. (5)
i) Dreams are often far removed from reality. Discuss with reference to ‘Lost Spring’.
ii) Why is Champaran episode considered to be the beginning of the Indian struggle for
independence?
Q.8 Answer ANY ONE of the following questions in 120-150 words. (5)
i) There are moments in life when we have to make hard choices between our roles as
private individuals and as citizens with a sense of National loyalty. Discuss with
reference to the story ‘The Enemy’.
ii) Students on Ice is a programme that prepares global citizens. Discuss.

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